Safety switch-lock



W. B. CLARK.

SAFETY SWITCH LOCK.

APPLICATION mas APR. 13. 1920.

1,381,906. Patented Jun 21, 1921.

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W. B. CLARK.

SAFETY'SWITCH LOCK.

APPLICATIOIQ FILED APR. 13. 1920.

1,3 ,9 PatentedJune 21, 1921.

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W. B. CLARK.

SAFETY SWITCH LOCK. APPLICATION FILED APR. 13,1920.

13 1 ,190 Patented June 21, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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p c t e of tt Patent Patented June 21, 1921.

Application filed April 13, 1920. Serial No. 373,619.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. CLARK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Lyons Farm, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Switch-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to improvements in circuit closing devices and has for its principal object to provide a novel and practical form of safety electrical switch and operating means therefor, especially adapted for use upon motor driven vehicles tor controlling the ignition apparatus supplied the vehicle motor, whereby the circuit energizing such apparatus can be maintained open against criminal efforts to close the same for the purpose of starting the motor and stealing the vehicle so equipped during absence of its owner; the switch together with the operating means therefor, however, being capable of easy and quick operation by the 601m fide driverof the vehicle for closing the ignition circuit" and starting the motor.

Another and equally important object of my invention is to provide a form of selective operating means for actuating the va rious circuit closing elements of the device, whereby such elements can be positioned in a manner to efi'ect an uninterrupted path for the electrical current to flow through the ignition circuit, the selective operating mean being of the permutation type, in

order thatits method of operation can only be" carried out by a person familiar with the same. f

Other independent objects are to provide features of construction of the improved switch which tend toward the attainment of the above aims irrespective of the particula r use to which the same may be adapted.

The invention, accordingly, con ists'in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will he exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth in the detailed specification readable in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: i J

Figure l is a side elevation of the proved switch;

Fig; 2 is a front elevation of the same; 3 is ppva o t e sw sh; e 4 Ma a lessen se ie assesses Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on the line 66 Qf Fig. l; i i

Fig. 7 is a detail in elevation of one ofthe disks;

Fig. 8 is a detail in perspectiveof one of the contact brushes; and

Fig. 9 is a like viewof another of the brushes. i

Having more particular reference to the drawings in connection with which like characters of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout; 1 represents the dash plate of the device which s circular in shape and is formed with an inwardly disposed bearing sleeve 2 having a pocket 8 therein opening onto a countersunk circular seat 4 in which the dial plate 5 is rotatably received, a shaft 6 passing through said dial plate and bearing sleeve and having a bushing arranged on that portion of "the same adjacent to the sleeve. Thi bushing 7 as'will be noted is provided on its outer end with a shoulder 7- which in turn directly engages the dial plate, whereby connection betweenthe same and the shaft Gmaybe effected,- a knob 8beingsecured to the outer end of said shaft to facilitate rotation ofthe same and its dial, too free rotation of the dialin its seat being controlled by a spherical spring pressed check 9 received in the pocket 3 and having vieldahle'engagementwith a circular series of indentations 10 formed on the inner face of said dialc oncentrically of its mountings on the shaft 6.. I V

A frame designated in its entirety by the numeral 11 is supplied the device and serves 'ing being formed in the end plate 13 for nally into such frame 11.

To look the shaft against shifting-longitudinally' of the frame 11; a clamping nut permitting the" shaft 6 to fen'tend longitudi- 1 5 is" turnedonto the screwthreaded end of the 7 and has bearing upon the a ja ent d' hee 2,'vh 'a a '111 6 s "as age 'tsa d sh n d ob iiously servs'td the nut 15 V preferably forming the same of fiber or other insulating material and forming a circular seat in one of its faces 1n which a ratchet plate 20 is arranged and connected to said disk by rivets 21 Or other suitable fastening devices, a washer 22 being also connected to the disk 19 by means of these rivets 21. A dog extends from one side of the washer 22 and is adapted'to be engaged by a finger 23 arranged on the peripheral portion of a collar 24 also mounted on the shaft6 and rotatably connected thereto bymeans of an inwardly extending finger 24 formed on the collar and engaged. in a longitudinal way in said shaft6. Thus, it will be understood that upon rotation of the shaft 6 for a certain distance, the finger 231011 the collar 24 will engage the dog on the washer 22 and in consequence, impart rotary motion to, the disk 19 in order that the same may be retated to the position'desired. a

Embedded in the disk 19 is a contact or circuit closing plug'25, whichat times, is adapted to have direct contact with spring brushes 26 and 27, the brush 26 being secured to one partof an insulating strip 28 by meansof a screw 29, while the strip 28 is arranged adjacent the bearing 17 and is secured to the one side portion of the frame 11 by, means of screws 30, whereas the brush 27 is formed onone end of a metal strip 31 having an oppositely extending brush 32 on its other end, said strip 31 being connected to the insulator by screws 33. 7

To check rotation ofthe disk 19, a spring pressed spherical check 34 is arranged in that pocket 18 opening onto the end of the bearing 17 adjacent said disk and is adapted to be yieldably engaged with the ratchet plate 20. Hence,.when the disk, has been rotatedto the desired position, the check will. serve to maintain the same so adjusted during further rotation of the shaft '6.

Another circuit closing disk 35, correfl sponding to'the disk 19 and formed of insulating material with a ratchet plate 36 and a washer 37 secured to its opposite sides is loosely'mounted on that portionof the shaft 6 extending inwardly of the bearing 17, a spring pressed spherical check being arvran ed in the remaining pocket 18 and engaglng the ratchet plate 36 whereby to prevent too free rotation of said disk and thus serving to facilitate adjustment of such disk.

The dog 38 on thewasher 37 is adapted to be engaged by a finger 39 extending from the peripheral portion'of the collar 40 arranged on said shaft and connected thereto through an inwardly extending finger 40 also on said collar and engaged in the longitudinal way in the shaft 6.

A contact plug 41 is embedded in the disk 35 and is adapted to have'rubbing contact threaded end'of the shaft 6 has bearing which nut in turn is'locked by means of a jam nut 47 also engaged with the screw-threaded end of saidshaft. A contact plug 48 is embedded in the disk 44 and has rubbing contact with the opposite side of the brush 42 and with a brush 49'secured to but insulated from the frame 11 as at 50. By reason of the engagement of the jam nut 47 on the disk 44 it will be understood that this disk will be caused to rotate with the shaft 6.

Terminals for electrical connections indicated at 51 and 52 are arranged on an 1nsulating cross-bar 55 secured to the inner end of the fame 11 and haveconductors 5,3 and 54 respectively extending therefrom; the conductor 53 being connected to the brush 26 at 29while the conductor 54 is connected to the brush 49 at 50. V

The operation of my improved circuit closing device may be reviewed as follows:

Assuming that the termina'ls 51 and 52 have been connected to the opposite sides of the electrical ignition circuit of a motor driven vehicle andthat the device has been secured tolthe'dash or instrument board of such vehicle and that it is desired to close the ignition circuit, the operator rotates the shaftlb' through the knob 8 in one direction until 1 the proper graduation of the dial alines with an indicating mark on the plate 1( By so rotating the shaft, the finger 23 on the collar 24 will engage the dog 21 on the washer 22, thus causing the disk'19 to be rotated to a point whereat the contact plug 25 will beengaged by the brushes 26 and 27. The shaft 6, through its knob 8, is now rotated in an opposite directionuntil the second graduation on the dial 5 is alined with the indicating mark, thus causing the finger 39 of the collar 40 to be engaged with the dog 38 on the washer 37, which willthen serve to impart rotary motion to the disk 35 so that the contact plug 1 the first direction, whereupon the disk 44 with its contact plug 48 will be rotated to bring said plug into engagement with the opposite side of the brush 42 and with the brush 49, such connection of the contact plug 48 with its brushes of course being effected upon alinement of the third graduation of the dial 5 with the indicating mark on the plate 1. The three circuit closing disks being now electrically connected with their brushes 26, 27, 32, 42 and 4E9 will. serve to close the ignition circuit so that the motor of the vehicle may be now started. T 0 break, the ignition circuit, it is only necessary to spin the dial slightly whereby to cause disalinement of one or all of contact plugs of the disks with their brushes.

The adjustment of the circuit closing disks is materially facilitated by the provision of the spring pressed checks engaging certain of same, while the dial plate 5 will be prevented from rotating too freely by reason of its particular spring pressed check.

Of course, any combination may be adapted to the device and also, by varying. the position of the contact plugs in the circuit closing disks, such combination can be changed to any desired extent. Furthermore, any number of circuit closing disks may be employed in connection with the device, such as conditions or preference may dictate.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification, and such modification as is within the scope of claims, I consider within the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In circuit closing means, a frame, a shaft mounted on and disposed longitudinally of the frame, a plurality of non-conductive disks on said shaft, contacts carried by the disks, contact arms on the frame disposed for engagement with said contacts and adapted to complete an electrical circuit therethrough, certain of the faces of the non-conducting disks being formed with circularly disposed detents adjacent their points of bearing, spring pressed spherical checks slidably mounted in pockets formed in said frame and engageable with said ratchet teeth of the various disks, and

means on said shaft for selectively engaging and rotating said disks with the same whereby to bring the contacts carried by said disk to position for engagement with the contact arms.

2. In circuit closing means, a frame, a shaft mounted in said frame, a plurality of non-conducting disks loosely mounted on the shaft, contacts on opposite sides of said disks, contact brushes secured to said frame and adapted to electrically interconnect the contacts on the various disks, certain of said brushes extending between adjacent disks and being formed with oppositely disposed contact members, check means yieldably engaging the disks whereby to prevent undue rotation of the same, and means on the shaft for selectively moving said disks to predetermined positions whereby the contacts thereof will be engaged by said contact brushes.

3. In circuit closing means a frame, a shaft "disposed longitudinally of the same, a plurality of non-conductive disks loosely mounted on said shaft having detent surfaces formed in certain of their sides adja cent the respective bearings therefor, spring pressed check means slidably arranged in adjacent portions of the frame and engageable with the detent surfaces of the various disks, contact plugs embedded in said disks having their opposite ends exposed, contact brushes secured to the frame and arranged to have connection with the opposite ends of the contact plugs whereby to complete an electrical circuit through the same, certain of said brushes being formed with oppositely disposed contact members engageable with the adjacent sides of the contact plugs, and means on the shaft for selectively engaging and moving the said disks, to predetermincd positions whereby to permit of engagement of the contact brushes with the contact plugs.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IWILLIAM B. CLAR K.

Witnesses:

Boer. BLACKLOOK, J N0. W. WRIGHT. 

